NASA's SkyFall Mars Helicopters Are Designed to Wear Tiny "Capes"
A new generation of Mars helicopters
NASA is developing concepts for a next-generation helicopter mission called SkyFall, aimed at exploring the surface of Mars from the air. A newly released artist's concept shows three SkyFall helicopters flying together over the Martian surface while collecting scientific data. Space.com, reporting on the concept, described the helicopters' onboard equipment as tiny "capes."
What the capes actually do
According to NASA's description of the artist's concept, each helicopter carries a large antenna. The green frequency waves shown emanating from the antennas represent the collection of subsurface radar data — a way of probing what lies beneath the Martian ground using radio waves. Meanwhile, red beams depicted in the image represent near-infrared imagery data collected from the surface, including regolith, the crushed rock and dust that covers much of Mars.
Following in Ingenuity's footsteps
The SkyFall concept follows NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, which became the first aircraft to fly on another planet after landing on Mars in 2021. By using multiple helicopters together, NASA appears to be exploring how a fleet of small aircraft could gather both subsurface and surface data across wider areas of Mars than a single vehicle could cover. No launch date or timeline for SkyFall has been announced based on the information released so far.
Tiny Mars Helicopters Will Wear "Capes" Full of Science Gear
📰 Full story: NASA's SkyFall Mars Helicopters Are Designed to Wear Tiny "Capes"
NASA is planning three flying robots called SkyFall to explore Mars from the sky. Their special gear looks like tiny capes.
💡 The gist
- NASA wants to send three small flying robots to Mars called SkyFall
- Each one carries science gear that people are calling a "cape"
- The gear checks both underground and the ground's surface
Mars is very far from Earth, so it is hard for people to explore it in person. That is why NASA builds robot helicopters to fly there instead. A new picture shows three SkyFall helicopters flying together above the red, dusty ground of Mars.
Each helicopter carries a big antenna. This antenna sends out radio waves that can travel underground. Scientists use these waves to find out what is hidden below the surface, since nobody can see through solid rock with just their eyes.
The helicopters also use light you cannot see, called near-infrared light. This light lets them take pictures of rocks and dust on the surface, called regolith. By using radio waves and light together, the helicopters can study both what is underground and what is on top at the same time.
Flying three helicopters instead of just one lets NASA study a much bigger area of Mars at once. NASA has not yet said exactly when SkyFall will launch.
Little Helicopters Wear Capes on Mars
📰 Full story: NASA's SkyFall Mars Helicopters Are Designed to Wear Tiny "Capes"
Tiny helicopters will fly on Mars wearing capes.
NASA made a new plan. Three helicopters will fly. They fly over Mars together. Each one wears a tiny cape. The cape hides special tools. The tools look under the ground. They use waves you cannot see. The tools also look at rocks. They use light you cannot see. No one knows when they fly yet. We will wait and see.